DMAX suspension lift kit

[sharkcaver]

Hmmm, interesting. I have done some serious long distance touring and never had an issue with the Bilsteins on my Dmax. But I do drive sympathetically (that is not directed at you BTW).
When we did the CSR, I personally spoke to half a dozen people who had blown shocks due to the corrugations. Also heard second hand of many others with the same issues. I suspect they were flogging their vehicles for hours at high speeds.

I melted my bille boots on a 10 minute long, slow going, high articulation trail with about 6 other vehicles. Their shocks survived, my billie's nearly didn't.

And I have direct knowledge of quite a few with the same vehicle that have suffered rear shock blow outs.

That said, this is not on a solid axle D-max. Its in an IRS Pajero. So maybe not an issue, but the doubt in my mind has been raised. I personally believe in this model, they are valved far to strong for off road use hence they overheat.

2 versions are imported into aus, from Europe and from the US. I believe the European ones don't tend to suffer the overheat issues???

Also, 2 sets I have fitted have split the shitty boot on the front, but the struts were working fine.

So I'm thinking for my D-max I might just try the Koni's....if only someone would give me a price Grrrrrr.

 

[CaptainBanana]

Maybe that says more about the car and its suspension more than anything else

I don't know I've had three four wheel drives from mild to wild and I've never ever once broken a CV or melted a shocker - my GQ ran and RB30 with turbo with 37 inch tyres and even that never broke his CV in 5 years and 140000 k's in that modified state.

 

[CTL]

I think a lot of people watch the Youtube brigade of 4WD presenters flogging their vehicles over corrugations and off road tracks and think they can do the same. Or watch the Dakar with all manner of vehicles racing at high speed over endless corrugations and washouts followed by jumping endless sand dunes and think they can do the same.
Problem is, in example one, they change shocks regularly and/or vehicles regularly because their sponsors pay for them and in example two, their mechanics change the shocks after each day’s stage (and they are the top end, super expensive shocks to start with).
For the average Joe, you need to drive sensibly and preserve your shocks. Sure you can change them regularly but most of us are lucky to afford a decent set per vehicle

 

[peterfermtech]

So why are they so expensive? Millions made each year, mass produced, raw materials cheap? Is it a cartel, marketing costs, what?